A New Type of Pain
by LitchfieldandLightningScars
Summary: A different take on the Season 2 Finale. After Nicky and Lorna's confrontation, Vee decides that she isn't finished with Red and her girls just yet. Nicky/Lorna
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing apart from the writing and some plot points. Everything is credit to Orange is the New Black**

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**A New Type of Pain**

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Nothing had been the same since Vee had arrived, quietly at first, at Litchfield. As soon as the brutal attack on Red had happened, all the tensions already stirring had kicked up a few notches. Many inmates stayed out of Vee's way, leaving her to her business. Why get involved if it wasn't necessary? Nicky couldn't help it though. Red was basically her mother in here – hell, she was a better mother than her real one had ever been, never mind just in prison. She couldn't get the worry out of her mind. Until she shut it out with anger and disgust for Vee.

Nicky couldn't resist going by Red's bunk. Just to sit and stay for a little while. Chapman was there, in her own bed on the opposite side of the cube. She started spouting bullshit about all her fucking drama with Alex and how she was missing Red too. Nicky's anger had been boiling up inside and now she had the perfect opportunity to let it out on someone. Sending cutting remarks flying at the startled blonde, Nicky stood and walked out crying. She couldn't contain the sobs. As she was walking away, she felt a pang of guilt. Chapman never meant to compete with Nicky over Red. She knew that. But she was also sure Chapman would realise that she didn't mean it as harshly as she had said it. She would get Vee back for this. She just had to find out where the maniac hid her stash. Then she would show the bitch. She would show her never to fuck with Red again.

* * *

At dinner, she couldn't help confronting Vee. Lorna by her side, she had to stop herself from tearing up in front of the psychotic heroin dealer. Vee was completely unfazed by the pair and left the canteen, but not before patronising them both. Nicky wanted nothing more than to slock the bitch exactly like she had done to Red.

Nicky was quaking in anger after the confrontation with Vee. Nothing much had even happened, but she was in a fragile state right now. And that woman was pure fucking evil. Lorna had noticed the frequent shaking of the girl and reached across the table, lightly placing her hand on top of Nicky's. She stopped shaking and looked at Lorna, putting her knife down onto her tray.

'I hate just sitting here whilst Red's in hospital. We have no fucking clue how she is Lorna, no fucking clue. And it's driving me crazy.' Lorna entwined their fingers together and gave a tiny, sympathetic smile as Nicky pulled her free hand nervously through her mane of hair.

'I know Nicky. But I don't know how we could find anything out, you know? Surely they should be locking Vee up though after those interviews. I mean, I know all Vee's lot will have come up with a bullshit cover story but everybody else knows it was her. They gotta do something with her sooner or later, but you never know in this place, huh.' She fidgeted and stuffed a piece of bread in her mouth to stop herself from rambling off topic. Nicky looked agitated and Lorna didn't want to upset her.

Nicky watched the small girl trying to chew the huge mouthful of food. Most people would cover their mouth whilst eating so impolitely; not her. She wasn't self-conscious when it came to eating, and fuck did she eat ungracefully. Nicky's lip curled up slightly at the side in a smirk. Her insides felt so cold and horrible with worry about Red but Lorna's quirks made her feel slightly better to see at least somebody was still acting a little like usual. She enjoyed listening to her angrily talk about Vee and then ramble off onto different topics. She knew Lorna was worried too but she was acting her bubbly self like usual which was helping a lot.

'Hey. Thanks kid.' Nicky said it quietly before she could think about it. She wanted Lorna to know she was grateful, but she found it hard to show. Lorna swallowed her food as best she could and smiled, the crooked one, with her head tilted to the side in a manner Nicky had always found adorable, and at times, downright fuckable. They finished eating in the blissful kind of silence where there is no awkwardness, just understanding.

* * *

As Vee left the canteen, she decided she would have to go further to fully get her point across. Scowling internally, she took in her surroundings. She needed to teach Red's girls a lesson. She just had to wait for the right time. Scanning the corridors, she chose a spot to stay where she would see them leave after lunch. And then she waited.

* * *

Nicky and Lorna left the canteen together, heading back to the Suburbs before Lorna suddenly stopped dead.

'Wait! Oh shit, Nicky, I gotta go check with Miss Rosa about her appointment later! I completely forgot with everything that's happened.' Nicky put her hand on her shoulder.

'I got something to sort out anyway – see you later, yeah kid?' Lorna nodded and tucked some of Nicky's wild hair behind her ear, exactly like Nicky so often did to her.

'See you later, Nichols.' Stroking her cheek slightly, she headed to Rosa's dorm. Nicky still headed towards the Suburbs. She was going to get payback on Vee, and all she needed was knowledge of where the heroin stash was. Easy. Big Boo had to know where.

Vee spotted the two women split ways and she deliberated whom to choose. Which would cause the bigger effect overall. Thinking of the bigger picture, the answer hit her. Smirking slightly, she stood and went to find some of her own girls who would willingly oblige.

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**Author's Note: I hope everyone likes it - leave a review of any comments or criticisms! The next chapter will be up soon!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing apart from the writing and some plot points. Everything is credit to Orange is the New Black**

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**A New Type of Pain**

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Nicky wasn't finding it too hard to get the information out of Boo. Guilt was written all over her face.

'You need to make it right.'

Boo scoffed. 'What do you want me to do about it? Smother Parker in her sleep with my left asscheek? I'm a lover, not a fighter.' Nicky raised an eyebrow.

'Ah come on. You of all people know there's a million ways to hurt someone. So tell your old pal Nicky, where she stashes her shit. Find that last shred of loyalty.' Boo sighed.

'Fine, fine. You gotta keep this to your fucking self though Nichols, I don't want any trouble because of this.'

'Cross my heart!' Nicky extravagantly gestured a cross at her breast. 'So, tell me the hiding place.'

* * *

After double checking with Miss Rosa about her appointment time, Lorna realised she had a couple of hours to spare before setting off. Most inmates were having more interviews or still eating lunch. Everywhere seemed much quieter than usual – the majority of women had kept to their cubes. There was a feeling of severe tension all around the prison that Lorna, and most other inmates, had never experienced before; not at this level.

She had wanted to ask Healy about Red, just to see how she was. Lorna wasn't a fan of Healy and never asked him favours but he was the only CO she could find. As soon as she had found him, he shunned her away angrily, muttering about having enough on his plate. She decided to check her make up in the bathroom before finding Nicky again. She entered, deep in thought about Red and how horrible and strange it felt without her there. She was so worried about Nicky. She knew it was easy for her to get her hands on heroin and Lorna was praying she wouldn't resort to drugs. She doubted it because the drugs would be coming from Vee, but Nicky's weakness was her addiction. In her state of contemplation, she didn't notice Vee enter behind her.

'You thought you were pretty tough back there earlier huh? Insulting me and my girls in the middle of the canteen where there are CO's and you were following your arrogant owner like a little lapdog – don't you think you should make your own decisions for a change?' Lorna had snapped around at the first word. She swelled with anger and took a step towards the taller and older woman.

'Oh yeah, because you can talk, you fucking maniac. Nearly killing Red and not taking the consequences. You waited for her on her own didn't you?' Lorna was trembling with a mixture of anger and fear. Her nerves were building up. 'And I do make my own decisions, thank you.'

'Oh, I did.' Vee stepped right in front of Lorna, looking down at her. 'I gave Red what she deserved. It's a pity it didn't go further. But Red won't say anything, the whole prison is in an understanding of what is going on, and poor Suzanne believes with all her heart it was she who slocked the old, Russian lady around the head. A moment of madness, you could say.' Vee smiled at the last line. Lorna looked disgusted.

'You're sick. You're completely fucked up, you know that? We won't let this rest. Now the CO's may not guess it was you, but we know. You and your girls can go _fuck_ yourselves. Enjoy it while it lasts. Because we won't let this go.' Lorna had never confronted anyone in prison in such a way before. Nor had she ever been so terrified. Why had no one come into the bathroom yet? It clicked in her mind – there must be someone outside, keeping others at bay. A new wave of fear struck her. Why would she have her cornered?

Vee watched the girl's expressions. Her eyes had darted to the doorway in a haze of confusion and then she froze. Her trademark wide eyed stare of optimism was now of fear and realisation. Vee let her process her thoughts. All of Red's 'family' needed to be taught a lesson. And Red would realise things were much worse than her own aching head.

Lorna looked back up at Vee, unsure of what to say or do. Vee smiled.

'Now, now, little one,' she said, using again the patronising term she called her and Nicky in the canteen earlier. She moved within an inch of Lorna, who couldn't help but back away slightly. 'You will listen to me.' Lorna felt her hand hit the wall behind her. She was well and truly trapped. Vee bent down slightly, her face directly in front of the terrified girl's. 'I need you to do me a favour.'

'And you think that I would do something for you, after everything you've done?' Mustering up all the courage she had, she stared right into Vee's eyes. 'You really are fucking crazy.' Vee laughed a laugh full of humour that sounded completely out of place in the situation. It unnerved Lorna a lot.

'Oh dear me. That's exactly why you'll do this. And as for me being the crazy one here, I don't think that's fair. After all, you're the one in here for stalking a man you don't even know.' Lorna froze, her eyes widening.

'Wh-what…I…I don't know what you mea-'

'Oh don't play the coy fool here. Let's just say, I did my research on Red and all of her 'family' as soon as I got here. And there are many ways to find these things out. It's a smart move to know about your fellow inmates. And you're the one who plans her fake wedding to her victim. Sounds to me like a pretty severe psychological problem. I also heard what happened at visitation. And you're calling _me_ crazy.' She couldn't keep the smile off her face. She was sure she had picked the right one now. She was less tricky than Nichols. Much easier to manipulate outright. And she had way more ammunition for this girl. Lorna had lowered her gaze and was struggling to hold back tears. 'Are you ready to listen?' Lorna said nothing.

'Alright then. You will tell the officers that it was Suzanne who attacked Red. You will say you were scared to tell the truth earlier because she's so unstable. You won't speak to Red when she is back, and you will not speak to the Nichols girl either, or any others in your silly family. Keep yourself to yourself from now on.' Lorna looked up with her tear streaked face.

'Fuck you. You can't make me do anything.' Vee laughed again.

'If you don't follow my instructions, then the rest of your stay and that of your friends will be so much more difficult. You see, I can afford for a significant amount of drugs to go missing. Maybe missing is the wrong word – I can plant them somewhere. And let's just say I have a few witnesses who will claim that the rumours are your friend Nichols has heroin. I wonder how much longer they would give her on her sentence for smuggling drugs in and trying to deal them to others. And how did the junkie girl smuggle them in? Well, with a little help from her loving mother Red. Do you want them both to have extra years on their sentences?'

'No one would believe that – others would know. This place isn't just made up of your girls and us. There are plenty of other women here.'

'Other women who know the intelligent choices to make to keep safe.' Vee could see her defensive resolve slipping.

Lorna was at a loss. What could she do?

'But I don't understand, why...what do you get from this?' Vee smiled. _Just complete control over the whole prison and the falling apart of Red's family. _She would push Red until she broke. She was halfway there already.

'It keeps my business and my record safe. But I don't expect you to understand the details. It shouldn't trouble you. Look at what you have to lose though. And I wouldn't hesitate at another slocking. You can ask Red what the hospital is like, familiarise yourself with it before you get there.' Lorna looked at her properly again.

'I fucking hate you. I hate you for everything.' She pushed past the older woman before being grabbed and dragged around to face her again. Gripping Lorna's upper arms tight, she spoke quietly to her.

'Just follow my instructions and your little prison family, and your false reputation of sanity, will all be safe. It's your choice Morello.' Lorna pulled from her grip and left the bathroom shaking.

Little did Lorna know, Vee's girls had left something for Nicky in her bunk. Nichols would get what she deserved whatever happened. One way or another, Vee would tear Red's family apart. It didn't matter what choice the Morello girl made, not for the others anyway.

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**Author's Note: Please leave a review of anything you want to say, it would mean a lot to know what people think :) Not much Nicky in this chapter, I know, but there will be from now on!**

**Also most of the conversation between Boo and Nicky is taken directly from the shows dialogue so I can't take credit for that, I just loved it so much I kept it basically the same**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own nothing apart from the writing and some plot points. Everything is credit to Orange is the New Black**

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**A New Type of Pain**

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Nicky couldn't wait to get the heroin out of the way. She hoped the burning she felt inside her head would stop once she had moved it away from herself. Cramming the bags straight into a vent in the laundry room, she quickly shut it and pushed a large basket of washing in front of it. It was so hard to be near the source of temptation and not do anything to relieve the addictive feelings. Her hands were shaking as she walked as quickly as the CO's would allow back to her cube. She needed more than anything to see Red. Pausing at her ma's cube, she leant against the wall, staring at the Russian's half of it. She should be sat on her bunk, her legs straight out in front of her, glasses perched on the end of her nose, a stern face with a hard expression looking up from a book as she heard someone approach at the entrance. Nicky would be able to see a hint of affection glint in those stony eyes as she realised it was her daughter there. Snapping out of her reverie, she walked away, trailing her hand along the walls. She would make Red proud. Hiding those drugs from Vee was a good payback, and Red would appreciate that. She just had to make sure she didn't give in to the voice in the back of her mind, to the gravitational pull she could feel in her bones, centred on the hidden stash.

Nicky pressed her body into the corner of her bed, gripping her knees to herself to stop from shaking at the painful thoughts in her head. _You know where it is now. You could go do it whenever you wanted to. Red isn't here to see. _Shuddering at the last realisation, she stood quickly.

She needed to get away from herself. She needed to keep busy. She peered around to see who was currently in the suburbs. Automatically checking Lorna's cube first, she noticed she wasn't there. A slight pang of hopelessness hit her. Red and Lorna were the two women in here who could definitely keep her at bay from the drugs. Since the whole Christopher incident, Nicky and Lorna had become a lot closer than they had ever been. They needed each other. Nicky wanted to help her; she had been encouraging Lorna to not sink into herself and to try and stop building fantasies, and Lorna was trying really hard to stop doing it and keep a firm grip on reality. The authorities would never give Lorna the help she needed to better her mental state so Nicky had to try her best. She walked over to Lorna's cube anyway – she figured she may as well let Boo know she's done what she needed with her information.

Boo was lying down, arms behind her head and eyes closed. Just as Nicky was about to open her mouth, Boo spoke.

'Better not be asking for more fucking favours Nichols. I've done enough to be forgiven now.' She hardly even opened her eyes.

'Well, hello to you too Boo! I've always loved your manners.' She slouched onto Lorna's bed and placed her hand on her pillow. She could smell the sweet perfume she always got from Red. She perked up a little at the subtle scent of Lorna and noticed Boo had turned her head to face her.

'So? Have you done whatever you intended to or are you gonna leave me in the dark about it all?' Nicky frowned, unsure whether or not to tell Boo after she sold out Red to Vee. Deciding against it, she shrugged. She would probably find out about the missing stash through rumours anyway and connect the dots.

'You'll guess soon enough. Have you seen Lorna?' Boo snorted and smirked.

'I should've known you wanted to see her. Still not given up on that yet? You're fucking determined, I'll give you that.' Nicky shook her head in exasperation.

'Hey, c'mon Boo. You're just jealous you don't have a prison wife right now.' Nicky spotted Piper walking by. 'Hey, Chapman! You divorced your prison wife recently; why don't you come and take pity on my old pal Boo here.' Piper walked over, her expression full of relief because Nicky was talking to her like normal. She had obviously let the whole disagreement they had earlier go.

'I think I'm staying away from any form of pairing up for now.' Boo smirked.

'More fool you Chapman. Anyway, Nichols, I thought we had both learned after the bang off and the cookie eating contest to not compete against each other anymore? But we all know I beat you at both of those.'

'I'm still not over the fact I was a three on your stupid chart. A _three_.' Nicky laughed at the blonde, relieved that she had people to keep her occupied for now.

* * *

Lorna quickly left the bathroom, not even checking to see which of Vee's girls were outside. It didn't matter. She had to clear her head, think what to do. Wiping the tears away, she hurried to her cube, praying that everyone was elsewhere. She needed time alone right now.

She kept her head down as she walked so no one would approach her. She walked in the room, automatically looking at her cube, and could see Boo's head just over the wall and Chapman stood at the entrance. Taking a deep breath, she forced a smile onto her face and put her hands into fists to stop the nervous shaking. She saw Nicky at the last second, lay on her bed, laughing with Boo. _Fuck_. She could get away with faking normality with others but not Nicky. She had to try.

'If it isn't Morello! Finally kid, I thought you'd already set off with Rosa.' Nicky was putting on a brave face, Lorna could tell.

'Nope!' Lorna cursed at herself. Her voice sounded about three pitches too high. 'I wanted to get my scarf and coat, you know, just before I go.' She walked past them all to get to the hooks. She threw the coat on and in her haste to get away she caught her scarf on a hook. It pulled her back as she tried to walk away. Her cheeks burned in frustration and embarrassment. Nicky, Boo and Piper were laughing at her, trapped against the hook. Nicky stood up and went to untangle the scarf.

'Woah, calm down!' Still laughing, she placed a hand on Lorna's shoulder and unhooked the purple material, patting in back into place around her neck.

'Thanks.' Lorna mumbled, looking down and pretending to sort the scarf out. She was still shaking so much. She saw Nicky's hand softly grasp hers, her fingers gently tracing over her skin. Lorna shut her eyes and tensed slightly.

'Hey kid, what's up?' she said it quietly so Boo and Piper couldn't really hear.

'Nothing! I've gotta go.' Nicky grabbed her forearm.

'Lorna.' Her stomach felt so sick but what could she say? She looked up at Nicky. She wanted to tell her, God, did she want to. The fierce loyalty she had towards her family in here was intense. But what was loyal in this situation? As she looked into Nicky's worried eyes, seeing the slight crease on her forehead deepen as she frowned, she knew the answer. Being loyal meant protecting them, no matter how many lies she had to tell. It was the exact same reason she hadn't told them about the Pornstache incident; Nicky for sure would've done something to him in payback. She knew she would never forgive herself if she put her in danger. Taking a deep breath and ignoring the alarm bells in her head and the nausea in her stomach, she answered.

'I can't do it Nicky. I'm not over Christopher. I lied.' Her voice sounded flat and monotone. Nicky let her hand fall from Lorna's arm. She nodded a few times, looking a bit dazed.

'Well, we can talk about it later. Like how we did after he came here. Lorna, I can help you, you know, sort everything out.' She lowered her voice. 'You don't have to keep up the pretending any more.' Lorna shook her head. A new wave of pain struck her hard. After all Nicky had done to help her, even when she _knew_ she was way more fucked up than most girls in here, and Lorna was being forced to cut that connection. Most people would have run a mile. And now, because of Vee, because of the power she had in here, Lorna had to ruin everything.

'I don't need any more help Nicky. I know I won't get over him. Look, I really have gotta go.' She could tell Nicky was gritting her teeth together. She began to walk away, but couldn't resist turning back first. 'Nicky.' She looked up, her expression angry. Lorna looked right into her eyes. 'I'm sorry.' She really did mean that part. She walked away, ignoring Boo and Piper, but as she reached the edge of her cube, she heard Nicky's voice.

'Why the_ fuck_ would you tell me this now? After everything that's happened to Red!'

'I'm so sorry Nicky.' She walked out before she could take everything back and tell her the truth.

* * *

Nicky stood in disbelief, not knowing what to do or say. She could feel the eyes of Boo and Piper staring at her. She walked over to her bunk, angry at herself and Lorna. But a slight feeling of hope crept through to her._ She's lying_. But why would she say that? If she was lying, for what reason would she tell her that? She knew how much it would hurt her. She kicked the wall near her bed and let out a shout of frustration.

'Inmate! You're getting a shot for that.' She turned around. It was Bennett. And he was usually less harsh.

'You've gotta be _fucking_ joking! The psychotic cunt who decides to smash Red's head apart is _still _walking free, not even in the fucking SHU, which is the _least_ that could be done, yet you're throwing around those bullshit shots for _kicking a_ _fucking_ _brick wall_?' She knew she should shut her mouth, she knew it. But when she was so nicely offered a quick release of anger, how could she not accept? She saw Piper pass Bennett and grab her hand, pulling it down to her side. Nicky didn't even realise she had balled them into fists.

'Stop it Nicky, do you want to get thrown in the fucking SHU?'' Piper whispered this and then turned to Bennett. 'I'm sorry Officer, she's just really upset about Red you know? Tensions have been high in here lately, you understand right?' Bennett glared and then sighed.

'You're still getting a shot inmate. But be grateful it's not more.' Bennett walked away. Nicky blinked tears from her eyes. She sat on her bed, holding her head in her hands.

'Nicky?'

'Look, Chapman, I know you're trying to help but I just wanna be alone for a while, alright?' Piper nodded.

'Alright. Okay.' It was clear she felt awkward. She walked out of her cube, leaving Nicky alone. She lay back, trying to figure out what exactly she was feeling. She just couldn't believe that Lorna would say something like that now. There was more to it than what she said. It was too much of a sudden, drastic change. She would approach her as soon as she got back from the hospital, which would be a long few hours. Shifting her position slightly, she heard a small crackle under her sheets near her hip. Frowning, she reached under and felt a small bag with her hands. Her heart sunk. Pulling the small bag out, her suspicions were confirmed. It was a bag of the heroin. Quickly hiding it in her hand, she looked around to see if anyone had seen her. Her heart was pounding. The voices had grown louder, she couldn't think straight.

Who had put it there? Why? It couldn't be a message from Vee – she had been in this room the whole time since she had hid her stash. She couldn't arrange her thoughts well enough to contemplate who or why. All she could think of was Lorna, Red and the fact that she had the release from all of that, from all of these emotions, right in the palm of her hand.

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**Author's Note: Thank you so much for the lovely reviews on the last chapter, I hope everyone liked this one :) I love writing slightly darker stories like this but I'm missing writing cute Nicky and Lorna moments but I can't have many in this fic just yet because of the storyline so I may have to write a couple of one shots, hmm. **

**Please leave a review of any comments or criticism! I really love hearing what people have to say about it, good or bad!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I own nothing apart from the writing and some plot points. Everything is credit to Orange is the New Black**

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**A New Type of Pain**

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'Alright Morello, let's go…Morello…Morello!' Lorna flinched as CO Ford shouted her name. 'You wanna drive us to the hospital any time today?'

'Yeah! Yeah, sorry, must've zoned out for a moment!' She flashed a manic grin at Ford and turned her head. 'Hey Miss Rosa! How you doing?' She cringed at the false cheeriness in her voice.

'Great.' Answered Rosa in her always dry tone.

'Good! Alright.' Lorna started up the van and turned the radio on for the drive. How she was going to last a few hours in the van with just her nauseating thoughts for company was a mystery. She began talking to Rosa and Ford but she didn't even know what she was saying. Her mouth had tuned in to a happy-go-lucky autopilot mode, useful for when she didn't feel like actively engaging in any conversation. It was a defensive mechanism she had developed before she could even remember. It kept people off her back. The only problem was half of what she ended up saying was fantasised. She would sometimes unknowingly tell outright lies, unable to stop herself.

It didn't matter. As long as everyone thought she was fine and didn't suspect anything, it would all work out eventually.

She had to figure out what to do. She had nearly two years left in prison and she couldn't live like this for that long.

* * *

For once, waiting for Miss Rosa went quickly. Lorna had been thinking of what to do, how to do what Vee said but not cause any suspicion. Before she knew it, it was time to go.

Back to Litchfield, where she felt like she belonged – however bizarre that sounded. The one place she had felt safe and accepted was slowly unravelling before her very eyes.

_Safe_. That sounded ridiculous. But she did – she _had_. More safe than she felt in the outside world. Lorna had always blended in around prison. She never caused any big problems with other inmates and never got involved in anything too problematic.

And now, she had got herself tied up with the most dangerous woman Litchfield had seen for years. She didn't even mean to.

Being a part of Red's family had never been so risky. When someone had a problem with Red, they would usually not get the family involved and go straight for Red. The only other time Lorna herself had felt so threatened was when Pornstache took her out in the van. Lorna couldn't describe the disgusting fear she felt that day, over what he could have done to her.

But this was different. She was fearing for Nicky and Red, not herself as much. Of course she was scared, but she was more frightened of slipping up and Vee ruining their lives because of Lorna not complying.

She kept telling herself the same things over and over.

_Think of Nicky. Think of Red._

* * *

Nicky had tried really hard not to do it. She hid it in her locker, she walked around the prison trying to distract herself, she loitered around some other women but she was too angry and agitated to cope with people.

Nothing worked.

Her favourite ex-girlfriend, Heroin, had come crawling back for more.

Or was it the other way around?

When Nicky told Alex that you only get one chance to break her heart, she had lied. Heroin could break it again and again.

And Nicky would let her.

So she had slipped off to the bathroom, the small bag of the brownish powder stuffed into her bra.

Fuck, did she feel good afterwards. So much better than she had felt in months, years even. It was hard to believe that this drug had ever made her feel so bad before. She couldn't think of anything but how calm she felt, how happy.

She had been a little dizzy at first but she hadn't taken it in so long, so that it was bound to happen. Once she felt less dizzy, she left the bathroom and walked around the corridors of Litchfield with a more mellowed smile on her face. Still the usual arrogant strut within her walk, her trademark knowing smirk upon her lips. But she didn't look angry. Not like she had before.

Best of all, she didn't _feel_ angry. Or upset. The hours began to pass so quickly. She couldn't believe she had resisted for so long.

Nicky ended up in the library. She lay in the corner, staring up at the ceiling with her eyes shut. The chapel had been too quiet and she didn't want her music on. However, the library was just right. People spoke softly in here, and there were the odd sounds of books thudding back onto shelves, pages being rustled through.

It was calming. She felt so light, so free. Nothing mattered right now. She sighed, taking a deep breath.

'Enjoyin' yourself?' Nicky opened her eyes to see Poussey standing over her, a sarcastic expression on her tired face. She always looked so down lately.

'I am, as a matter of fact, thank you.'

'Well, could you move while I put these books back at least?' Nicky sat up and shuffled along the floor resting against the opposite shelves. A wave of dizziness swept over her with the sudden movement. Not to mention the heroin. Poussey frowned slightly and narrowed her eyes as she looked at Nicky.

'Shit. _Shit_. Tell me you didn't.' Nicky pushed her hair back and smirked.

'What?' Poussey threw her book down on the shelf. She shook her head.

'You fucking did, didn't you?' Her voice lowered to a whisper and she leaned in to Nicky. 'You took heroin didn't you? It's _Vee's_ shit too. _Fuck_. I didn't think you'd do that, especially now! How fucking stupid can you get.' Nicky rolled her eyes.

'I can't catch a fucking break in this place! I'm sick of it, since when was my life anyone else's business? Keep your fucking nose out, alright? You don't know shit.' She stood and began to walk away but just as she was about to leave, she turned back, her face inches from Poussey's. 'And what I said about loving your straight best friend and all the other bullshit? Fuck that. _Fuck that. _Because there's no fucking point.' She walked away, the relaxed feeling she so enjoyed wearing off.

It turned out Nicky underestimated the power of emotions. She always thought heroin could tackle anything. She was wrong.

All she felt was anger. Nicky had always had a short temper, but never had it been this bad. Her fingers itched to hit something, to break something. They were curling up into fists as she stormed out of the library. Her lips were straining to yell, to insult anyone that came by her, anyone that looked at her the wrong way.

Nicky had never been the sort of person to hide away when she was angry. She was too impulsive, like she needed everyone to know to back the fuck off. She had a deep rooted need to assert her dominant nature.

That's when she saw Vee walking down the corridor, holding her head high, her eyes focused only on her path ahead. Nicky's feet quickened in pace, her breaths ragged in anger. She grabbed Vee's khakis at the shoulder, yanking the older woman around to face her.

'You're a fucking maniac, you know that right? You're gonna pay, you're gonna fucking pay.' Vee stared calmly at her. She looked at the junkie girl's eyes, wondering if she had taken the drugs she had left at her bunk.

Vee also had to wonder whether she just meant this about Red or if Morello had decided to tell her. She sighed as though she was bored.

'You got your point across this morning. Now, stop this silly act.' Nicky let go of her but kept eye contact.

'Just watch your back. We're not scared of you. You'll soon see.' Vee shook her head and walked away. She assumed the Morello girl hadn't said anything, but she had to make sure.

She couldn't let her control slip now.

* * *

Lorna was relieved when CO Ford told her they had to go straight back out in the van. A new inmate needed to be picked up. It kept her away from Litchfield for a little longer, away from the threat of Vee, the temptation to tell Nicky everything. Sure, she was left with her own agonising thoughts, but at least she wasn't in danger of directly hurting anyone right now.

Lorna was struggling to think of what to do. She knew it would be stupid of her to avoid the suburbs, to walk around prison on her own, with nobody with her. Vee could be anywhere, waiting for her to be alone. She could demand more, threaten more.

Lorna couldn't handle that.

Staying in the suburbs could be even worse. All of Red's girls were there – Nicky, Gina, Norma, Big Boo. Everyone she had to avoid. She shared her _cube_ with Boo. How could she avoid her?

Then there was Red. They wouldn't keep her in the hospital forever. Lorna didn't know how badly hurt she was but as soon as she was on her feet, she would be back. And then she would have another person to keep off her back.

Her plan for showers and meals were to follow somebody. Not go alone, because then she was vulnerable. But wait for someone else to go – Chapman, or Yoga Jones maybe. Someone who wouldn't pry but who she could sit with, or near. That way she was less of an easy target. She knew Piper wouldn't mind her hanging around. She was often on her own lately, too wrapped up in her own thoughts to care much for anyone else.

Not that Lorna minded that. It meant she probably wouldn't notice how different she was acting.

The door of the van clicked open.

Looking around, she saw none other than Alex Vause. She looked tired and her face looked gaunt.

'Hey Lorna. Surprised to see me?' Lorna nodded.

'Yeah! I am! What the hell happened, Vause?' Alex shook her head as she sat down.

'It's a long story.' She sighed.

'Well, you got a lot to catch up on. So much has happened since you were last here. I don't know if Chapman has told you much. But things have changed.' She knew Alex had been to visit Piper but she didn't know anything else. Ford climbed in the van so they automatically stopped talking about the current state of Litchfield.

When they arrived back at the prison, Lorna didn't need to explain the basics to Alex, so she filled her in on what had been going on. Alex noticed how oddly she was acting though, her eyes slightly more alert than usual, her head snapping to the side when she heard someone pass by them. She was on edge, paranoid.

'Shit! Things here really have fucked up.' Alex couldn't help but feel safer here though. 'So what's gonna happen with Vee?' Lorna cringed, anxiously looking around to see who was there.

'Keep your voice down!' she hissed. Alex laughed.

'Oh come on Lorna, you just said everyone knows it was her who fucked up Red, surely everyone's talking about it!'

'I mean it Alex! Vee is dangerous. You can't come storming in here shouting stuff like that. You gotta watch your back.' Alex frowned at how worried Lorna looked.

'Alright, alright. How's Nicky holding up? I know she was close to Red.'

'Why should I know?' Lorna answered way too quickly.

'What the fuck? What's happened with you guys?'

'Nothing.'

'I just assumed all Red's family would be pulling together and planning something. And you and Nicky are fucking inseparable. Or should I say were?' Lorna closed her eyes in frustration. She had been happy that Alex was back. She was another person she could stick nearby to keep safe.

But Vause really wouldn't let things slide.

'Look, when I said things had changed around here, I meant it. It's dangerous.' They had reached the temporary dorm room where Miss Rosa was sleeping after her treatment. Luckily DeMarco was awake. Lorna turned to face Alex.

'You know the drill. Pick a bunk. Here's a toothbrush and soap. See ya round Vause.' She tapped the tall woman's arm and left quickly. Alex stared after her, taken aback by her sudden offish manner.

Lorna was walking swiftly back to the suburbs when a horrific realisation dawned on her.

Vee had said she had to tell the officials that she saw Suzanne attack Red. She had to frame an innocent woman.

She felt sick, her stomach twisting.

How could she live with herself after that? Suzanne would probably end up in Psych.

She reached her bunk, not many people were around considering it was dinner. Sitting down she wondered about whether or not to go through with it. There didn't seem to be much point, not when they had already decided it was Crazy-Eyes who tried to kill Red.

And however much she told herself she had to follow Vee's orders to protect her family, she couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that was plaguing her, weighing her down.

_What would they do?_

Lorna was sure Nicky wouldn't send an innocent person down. She was smart and knew how to protect herself and others, but Nicky wouldn't let Vee win. If it had been Nicky in her situation now, she would have probably told Lorna what Vee had said and begun to plan a clever revenge.

Red wouldn't say anything. She would fight back in her own way; she would be scheming now, similar to what Nicky would do.

Boo wouldn't be threatened by Vee. She wouldn't put up with such bullshit.

Gina and Norma were way too clever to be involved with anything like this. They would probably have told Red.

But did Lorna have any of those options? If she thought like any of her family, they would get hurt.

Was she weak-willed? Is that why Vee had bullied _her_ into this? Into ruining everything?

Summoning up courage she didn't know she had, Lorna knew that she couldn't do it. She wouldn't.

She wouldn't tell a lie that horrific. A lie with such painful consequences. She knew her Christopher lie had hurt Nicky, but that was for Nicky's own good. If she went through with this lie, Suzanne would definitely end up in Psych or with way more years on her sentence and Vee would be ruling this prison without a doubt.

Slowly drifting away from these thoughts, she became aware of her surroundings. She felt someone watching her. Lifting her head up quickly from her hands, she saw Nicky against her wall, concentrating on Lorna.

'What's going on, huh?' Lorna took a deep breath and shook her head.

'Nicky, please. Leave it.'

'After what you said to me? What the fuck did you expect Lorna?' She could tell from Nicky's eyes that she was hurt. Lorna's heart broke a little but she somehow found the courage she needed. She avoided looking into Nicky's eyes as she spoke, her voice sharper than she intended.

'It's too much right now! Okay? I don't need your help, I don't need anything. I just want to be left alone Nicky. How hard is that to understand?' Before she could hear a response she ran past Nicky, out of the suburbs and headed for the chapel.

But before she could reach it, she saw Vee. Lorna froze as the older woman approached her.

'We need to have a chat, Morello.'

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long since I updated! Been really busy then my internet broke on my laptop, ugh! **

**Hope everyone likes the chapter, please let me know what you think.**

**Having reviews to read is really lovely and helpful and I love hearing any kind of feedback.**

**Next chapter will (hopefully) be up soon; I'm trying! :)**


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